Last year at this time we only had three cats. Three is a good number, maybe. This spring Felix had her second litter somewhere else and then disappeared with them. Her first cats Spooky and Buttermilk had their first litters this spring, and we found ourselves with eight cats - four girls and four boys.
In August after my trip to Portland, we were down to six cats. The two mommas disappeared, likely killed/eaten, as they were both still nursing. And Smokey, the older female kitten, disappeared a week later and then was found dead in the dirt.
So neither of us were terribly surprised to come home Monday to zero cats. The bowl of food was full, though, and the neighbors had seen the cats on Sunday, at our house - not at his, where they had gone in August. None of the family had made off with them, either. So when Andres told Thomas on Tuesday night that another neighbor up the road from us was trying to give away six week kittens, grey with a few with tiger stripes, Thomas and I both wondered if they were Not Peanut, Tiger, Crusty, Pete, and Roger. After calling ahead, Thomas went to check it out and came home with five kittens in the bed. We don't know where or why a different neighbor picked them up and why or when they were passed on to another neighbor, but there was a little bounce in Thomas's step to have them back again.
Then last night Daniel called to say they made up their minds and would like a couple kittens (to eat - he said on the phone - but I know better). Julie and Daniel came over and just barely managed to get Pete and Roger in a box to take home. It's been less than 24 hours, so I don't know how they've fared. I can't tell whether the other three (tiger-striped) cats miss the little boys that made so much noise, or are grateful for a little peace and quiet. One things for sure - they won't have to share their food with so many. We don't have any long trips planned for a long while, so hopefully these ones will stick around.
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